Improvement in button-hooks



-low of its passage.

UNrrED STATES PATENT oFF1oE.

HENRY S. HURLBUT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

kIMPROVEMENT IN BUTTON-HOOKS.

specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175.7%, dated Jun@ 13, 1876; applicant); filed A April 5, 1876.

To all whom itmag/ concern l Y Be it known that I,.HENRY S. HURLBUT,

I ol" Boston, in the county ot' Suffolk land State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in-Button-Hooks, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencepbeing had to the accompanying drawings, lnaking part ot' this specifica--v tion, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of button-hooks constructed in accordance with my invention.` Fig. 3 is a section representing the manner of using my improved buttonhook.

The ordinary button hook now in general use is objectionable for the reason that the button is liable to be twisted oli' by the thread or other fastening being subjected to an undue strain, besides which the shank near the hook is not ot' a width suicientto keep the button-hole open to allow ot' the easy entrance of the button, the contact of the button with the edges ot' the hole rendering an increased strain on the button necessary, in order toal- My invention has for its purpose to overcome the above mentioned objections; and consists in a device bifurcated at its extremity, and having the projections at a right angie, or nearly so, to the handle, and a depression in the rear of the bifurcation. and having its shank adapted to open the button-hole to v allow of the button being drawn or pried through it with great facility, wherebyt-he button is only subjected to a slight strain,V which is not liable to break it,- nor the thread' To enable others skilled iu the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to vdescribe the manner in which I have'carried it out.

as the instrument is bent over and drawn.

through the button-hole, as seen in Fig. 3, is

brought down to a irm bearing within theV depression al, the eye or fastening of the but ton titting into thel space between the projections c c, that port-ion of the shank of the instrument in close proximity to the depression d being of such width as to open the buttonhole snficicntly to allow ofthe button being readily drawn through it without being obstructed by contact with the edges, "as has heretofore been the case where an ordinary button-hook has been employed.

Instead of making the instrument from a metal plate, as seen in Fig. 1, it may be formed ot' wire bent-into `the desired shape, as seen in Fig. 2.

The above-described instrument is exceedingly simple and effective, and by its use the twisting, wrenching ott', -or breaking ot' the buttons, and the great' annoyance and inconvenience resulting, therefrom, are entirely avoided. l

, What I cla-im as my invention, and' desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The within-described button-hook, lhaving the bit'urcated end and the projections c c bent at a right angle, or nearly so, to the shank or handle A, substantially as and for the 'purpose specified.

Witness my hand this 22d dayof March,V

A. D. 1876. v y

HENRY s. HURLBUT.

In presence of- P. E. .TEscHEMAoHEm W. J. CAMBRIDGE. 

